Living Classroom On Trunk and other Field Sites

The Cottage on Trunk Island serves as the educational hub for the Living Classroom but make no mistake: the true learning is happening out in the open air! Providing more than 1500 learning experiences each year, hearing about local ecology and biology before experiencing it first-hand. Here they can learn about how to identify distinct species of animal life, how to estimate population densities, use quadrats and so much more.

Living Classroom classes gets the students learning in their local natural environments. While these classes align with Cambridge and other international standards, they have an additional benefit of building the appreciation and love for nature to create the next generation of environmental stewards. This classes are an excellent opportunity to get students engaged, especially those that may struggle with the traditional classroom environment.

Most classes follow the 5 E Learning cycle and include pre-lessons and post-lessons to be completed by the teacher before and after the field trip. Allow enough time before registering to receive the materials and complete with your class. BPSS can use our Sign Up Genius Registration that we circulate among teachers at the various grade levels during the term of their class.

The classes below are suggested grade offerings. We can scaffold classes for a younger age group or add in more complexity for an older age group. Contact us to discuss.

 

Lower Primary

Flowering Plants Field Trip

BPSS Grade Level and Term: P1 - Term 2

Cambridge Standards:

  • 1Bs.01 Recognise and name the major parts of familiar flowering plants (limited to roots, leaves, stems, and flowers)
  • 1Bp.03 Know that plants need light and water to survive.

Summary:

Students will begin this module learning with their teacher in class about the parts of a plant:roots, stem, leaves, and flowers and their basic functions.  This will include kinesthetic modeling with clay, a card sort, and a final game.

Students will then join our BZS Educator for a field trip to the Botanical Garden. On this field trip students will find, identify and determine the basic structure and function of plants for different habitats: pond, forest, and desert.  Students should bring their walking shors and a jacket for a living classroom lesson!

Other notes:

  • BPSS P1 teachers will be sent a registration link using Sign Up Genius at the beginning of the year with a reminder 2 weeks before lesson. For those that do not sign up at the beginning of the year, there will be another opportunity to register using Sign Up Genius 3 weeks prior to the lesson.
  • All lessons follow the 5 E Learning Cycle structure.
  • All lessons use a student centered, constructivist learning approach and are aligned with Cambridge, NGSS, and other standards.
  • Prelesson will be provided 2 weeks in advance of the lesson with the opportunity for teacher support from Dr Toro, PhD in Science Curriculum and Instruction.
  • Post lesson options will be sent immediately after the lesson.

 

Habitat Introductions

 

BPSS Grade Level and Term: P2 - Term 1

Cambridge Standards:

  • 2Be.01 Know that an environment in which a plant or animal naturally lives is its habitat.
  • 2Be.02 Know that many different habitats contain different plants and animals.
  • 2Be.03 Identify similarities and differences between local environments in terms of hot, cold, dry, wet, many plants, few plants, many animals, and few animals.
  • 2Bs.01 Compare how animals, including humans, are similar and different in their external body parts and skin covering.

Summary:

IN DEVELOPMENT for 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR

Other notes:

  • BPSS P2 teachers will be sent a registration link using Sign Up Genius at the beginning of the year with a reminder 2 weeks before lesson. For those that do not sign up at the beginning of the year, there will be another opportunity to register using Sign Up Genius 3 weeks prior to the lesson.
  • All lessons follow the 5 E Learning Cycle structure.
  • All lessons use a student centered, constructivist learning approach and are aligned with Cambridge, NGSS, and other standards.
  • Prelesson will be provided 2 weeks in advance of the lesson with the opportunity for teacher support from Dr Toro, PhD in Science Curriculum and Instruction.
  • Post lesson options will be sent immediately after the lesson.
Animal Classification: Dichotomous Keys

BPSS Grade Level and Term: P3 - Term 2

Cambridge Standards:

Summary:

Other notes:

Upper Primary

Habitats and Adaptations

BPSS Grade Level and Term: P4 - Term 3

Cambridge Standards:

  • 4Be.01 Know that different animals are found in, and suited to, different habitats.
  • 4Bp.03 Know that plants and animals need energy to grow, live, and behealthy, and plants get their energy from light while animals their energy from eating plants or other animals.
  • 4Be.03 Describe food chains as being made of producers and consumers, and classify consumers as herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, predators and/or prey.
  • 4Be.02 Know plants and animals can survive in environments other than their habitats.

Summary:

IN DEVELOPMENT FOR TERM 3

Other notes:

  • BPSS P4 teachers will be sent a registration link using Sign Up Genius at the beginning of the year with a reminder 2 weeks before lesson. For those that do not sign up at the beginning of the year, there will be another opportunity to register using Sign Up Genius 3 weeks prior to the lesson.
  • All lessons follow the 5 E Learning Cycle structure.
  • All lessons use a student centered, constructivist learning approach and are aligned with Cambridge, NGSS, and other standards.
  • Prelesson will be provided 2 weeks in advance of the lesson with the opportunity for teacher support from Dr Toro, PhD in Science Curriculum and Instruction.
  • Post lesson options will be sent immediately after the lesson.

 

Adaptations of Plants and Animals in Bermuda

BPSS Grade Level and Term: P5 - Term 2

Cambridge Standards:

  • 5Be.01 Describe how plants and animals are adapated to environments that are hot, cold, wet and/or dry. (Plants and Animals)

Summary:

In this class students will learn about adaptations in animals and how structure of organisms determine the function. Students will compare and contrast 2 of our favourite Bermudian birds: Longtails and Cahows. They will look at actual preserved specimens. This class will include a boat trip to look at the nests on Trunk Island.

Other notes:

  • BPSS P5 teachers will be sent a registration link using Sign Up Genius at the beginning of the year with a reminder 2 weeks before lesson. For those that do not sign up at the beginning of the year, there will be another opportunity to register using Sign Up Genius 3 weeks prior to the lesson.
  • All lessons follow the 5 E Learning Cycle structure.
  • All lessons use a student centered, constructivist learning approach and are aligned with Cambridge, NGSS, and other standards.
  • Prelesson will be provided 2 weeks in advance of the lesson with the opportunity for teacher support from Dr Toro, PhD in Science Curriculum and Instruction.
  • Post lesson options will be sent immediately after the lesson.

 

Soils and Plants

BPSS Grade Level and Term: P6 - Term 3

Cambridge Standards:

  • 6ESp.03 Know that there are different types of soils and they can be classified based on their clay, sand and organic content.
  • 6ESp.04 Know that soil composition can change, which can support, or hinder plant growth.

Summary:

IN DEVELOPMENT FOR TERM 3

Other notes:

 

  • BPSS P6 teachers will be sent a registration link using Sign Up Genius at the beginning of the year with a reminder 2 weeks before lesson. For those that do not sign up at the beginning of the year, there will be another opportunity to register using Sign Up Genius 3 weeks prior to the lesson.
  • All lessons follow the 5 E Learning Cycle structure.
  • All lessons use a student centered, constructivist learning approach and are aligned with Cambridge, NGSS, and other standards.
  • Prelesson will be provided 2 weeks in advance of the lesson with the opportunity for teacher support from Dr Toro, PhD in Science Curriculum and Instruction.
  • Post lesson options will be sent immediately after the lesson.

Middle

Dichotomous Keys in the Field: Classification and species

BPSS Grade Level and Term: M1/P7 - Term 2

Cambridge Standards:

  • 7Bp.01 Describe the seven characteristics of living organisms.
  • 7Bp.03 Describe a species as a group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offspring.
  • 7Bp.04 Use and construct dichotomous keys to classify species and groups of related organisms.

Summary:

IN DEVELOPMENT FOR TERM 2

Other notes:

  • BPSS M1/P7 teachers will be sent a registration link using Sign Up Genius at the beginning of the year with a reminder 2 weeks before lesson. For those that do not sign up at the beginning of the year, there will be another opportunity to register using Sign Up Genius 3 weeks prior to the lesson.
  • All lessons follow the 5 E Learning Cycle structure.
  • All lessons use a student centered, constructivist learning approach and are aligned with Cambridge, NGSS, and other standards.
  • Prelesson will be provided 2 weeks in advance of the lesson with the opportunity for teacher support from Dr Toro, PhD in Science Curriculum and Instruction.
  • Post lesson options will be sent immediately after the lesson.
Battle of the Invasives: The Fight by Bermudian’s Native Plants

BPSS Grade Level and Term: M2/P8 - Term 2

Cambridge Standards:

Summary:

Other notes:

Population Dynamics in Microforests

BPSS Grade Level and Term: M3 - Term 2

Cambridge Standards:

Summary:

Other notes:

Senior

Field Investigation Course Overview

Field Investigation Course

Students will build on their knowledge, skills, and practices of science, through an application of field methods. Through brief small investigations, students will implement small more directed investigations to gain exposure to the three main types of field investigations (descriptive, comparative, and experimental) using different methodologies such as archival data, transects, quadrats. Students will connect with the innovation of the pathway using technology such as drones, GIS, and machine learning to assist in their field methods analysis. The course concludes with an independent investigation that students develop and implement in small groups with mentoring and guidance throughout the process from their peers, teachers, as well as other experts in the area. 

Course Goals: Upon completion of this course students will have gained the ability to engage in general field methods. They will have further developed their scientific thinking and problem solving approach to develop field investigations to answer research questions. The specific methods or tools may change from year to year, but the emphasis is on developing the thinking and skills for general field investigations. 

Course Objectives/Competencies (each module, as well as lesson, will have more specific learning objectives, but these are the transversal competencies also known as outcomes for the entire course) 

Students will be able to….

  • Explain the characteristics, purposes, and constraints of Field Investigations

  • Distinguish between different types of field investigation methodologies and explain the advantages, disadvantages, purpose, and limitations of each

  • Design, Implement, Analyse, and Present a field investigation in small research teams

  • Demonstrate the core scientific and engineering practices.

Modules can be completed separately of each other. A class can choose to do just one or any combination of modules listed below

  • Descriptive Field Studies
  • Comparative Field Studies
  • Correlational Field Studies
  • Experimental Field Studies